Chapter 362: Where?

The teleportation process was a chaotic whirlwind of sensations, leaving me disoriented and breathless. It felt as if my very essence was being stretched and contorted, an uncomfortable dance with the fabric of reality. My grip tightened around my siblings and Breta, drawing them closer to me as we traversed the realms.

In that timeless moment, I sensed an ephemeral darkness attempting to ensnare us. The aura of the malevolent Shade sought to lock onto our presence, but it faltered against the resilience of the cosmic mana. As far as I knew, teleportation was a realm untouched by such bastards, beyond their capabilities.

As the veil between dimensions undulated around us, I struggled to maintain my focus and resolve. The shifting boundaries threatened to shatter our cohesion, but I continued to hold steadfast. I willed myself to remain vigilant, ensuring that no sinister force would pry us apart, although I didn't have much I could do if they really had the power to do so.

In the midst of this ethereal journey, there was a fleeting moment where my consciousness seemed to slip away, only to be abruptly restored. The experience was unnerving, but I could not afford to succumb to fear. We were inching closer to our destination, whatever it may be.

After what seemed like an eternity, or perhaps, merely a few seconds, we emerged in the vast expanse of darkness, from our transcendental journey, reentering the tangible world with the guiding power of the cosmic mana. Our surroundings were an obsidian canvas, adorned with the distant twinkle of stars, their faint glow beckoning us from unimaginable distances.

I gently released my grip on my siblings and Breta, allowing them to float weightlessly, their forms adrift in a space both beautiful and forbidding. The infinite cosmos surrounded us, an awe-inspiring sight that evoked both curiosity and trepidation.

Breta's voice reverberated in my mind, its familiar presence soothing amidst the cosmic stillness. "Where are we?" She asked, as my transformation receded, I shifted back to my normal body, my three dragon heads dissolving into the fabric of my being. My form gradually shrank, returning to its familiar size as we adjusted to this ethereal realm.

"I-I don't know..." I replied. Amidst the celestial silence, uncertainty gripped our hearts as we floated in this unfamiliar realm.

"I don't see no planets," Ynos's voice chimed in, "Only those far away stars, and who knows how long it would take us to reach them," Ynos's pragmatic observation resonated with a sense of daunting vastness, the distant stars only taunting us with their unreachable glow. We were like specks in the cosmic tapestry, insignificant amidst the grandeur of the universe.

"It's quiet, eerily quiet," I replied, my unease palpable. A foreboding sensation washed over me, as if something was amiss, and the tips of my scales seemed to stand on end.

Breta attempted to find a glimmer of hope, "Perhaps we left the battlefield behind, and we are closer to our home territory?" Her optimism was admirable, but I couldn't shake off the feeling that our location might be far from any familiar realm.

"Or, we accidentally teleported behind enemy lines instead," Sidus's blunt statement pierced through the silence, reminding us of a grim possibility. He raised a valid concern that our unplanned teleportation might have gone wrong, the worst part was, there was no way of telling if he was right, at least not immediately.

The reality of our situation weighed heavily upon us, and we all shared a common sentiment: uncertainty, as we looked around the boundless expanse of space.

Just as I was wracking my brain over what next step we should take, Sidus's quick thinking saved us from immediate danger. In a seamless transition, he shrouded himself in the shadows, his dark mana extending to enfold us in its grasp. Breta's instinct to unleash her divine aura was evident, but she restrained herself, realizing that staying hidden was our best chance of survival.

A wordless understanding passed between us as we let ourselves be enveloped by the darkness, our forms blending seamlessly with the void of space. Our auras were concealed behind this newfound veil, shielding us from the prying eyes of any lurking danger.

The silence was heavy, broken only by the thudding of my heart in my chest. We remained motionless, our breaths steady and cautious. Sidus, like a shadow in the night, moved with utmost stealth and guided Ynos and Breta towards me. He held Ynos's tail, while Breta found herself secured in one of his claws, and together, they floated toward my waiting form.

As the moments ticked by, the anticipation in the air grew palpable, and our senses heightened, picking up on the approaching presence. Each of us could feel the ripples of malevolence and dread that emanated from 'them.' It was a haunting sensation, one that sent shivers down our spines and seemed to gnaw at the edges of our consciousness.

The instinct to flee clawed at me relentlessly, urging me to take flight and escape the approaching danger. Yet, I resisted, knowing deep down that there was no outrunning whatever sinister force was drawing nearer. Breta and My siblings mirrored my unease, their expressions reflecting a mixture of fear and determination.

The silence that once comforted us now felt like an oppressive weight, bearing down on us as we awaited the approaching entities. The shadows seemed to thicken around us, and the darkness itself seemed to come alive with hidden dangers. As the unknown neared, we steeled ourselves, our hearts resolute even as our unease grew.

It would have been almost impossible to make out their appearances as they approached if not for the overwhelming aura they were exuding. I squinted my eyes and tried to see them better.

The three shadowy figures leading the way were a haunting sight, their forms shrouded in an ever-swirling dark fog, obscuring their true appearances. They seemed to effortlessly shift between humanoid and beast-like forms, their silhouettes contorting and twisting in an unsettling dance. Their presence alone sent shivers down my spine, each movement emanating malevolence and darkness.

Yet, it was the fourth Shade that truly captured my attention and sent a chill down my spine. He seemed to stand out from the rest, his aura more restrained, and his appearance surprisingly unassuming. At first glance, he resembled a middle-aged human, but his skin was an unnatural obsidian hue, and his eyes, completely black with no discernible irises, stared hauntingly into the abyss.

The aura he exuded was suffocating, and my instincts screamed at me to be on guard. He seemed to exude a sense of calm, but beneath the surface lurked an unfathomable darkness. I couldn't help but feel a deep sense of unease as if his very presence threatened to devour our souls.

'What the hell is that?' I inwardly cursed.